When Is It Time For Winter Tires?
Blog
Feb 08th, 2023
Winter tires help with numerous functions of your vehicle in the winter and are key to safe driving in inclement weather and poor conditions. In most cases, we know the benefits of putting winter tires onto a vehicle, but it can be a bit confusing to know the best time to put your winter tires on.
When Should I Put On My Winter Tires?
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- Winter tires should be on your vehicle when the temperature is forecasted to be below 7 degrees Celsius on a consistent basis. This is simply a baseline though, since winter storms can blow in and cause poor conditions before this happens. In that case, we recommend having your winter tires put on before any poor weather rolls in.
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- You should put your winter tires onto your vehicle when:
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- The temperature is consistently below 7 degrees Celsius. You should consider the time of day as well when checking the temperature. If you frequently drive at night, check the forecast for the evening temperature when making a decision if it’s time to change your tires for the season or not.
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- Poor weather is forecasted. If you see that a sudden temperature drop, blizzard or any type of freezing rain is impending, be sure to schedule your car in for a tire change. At Fairley & Stevens, we offer drive-up appointments (or you can book online) and have the largest number of service bays in Atlantic Canada, so we are a great choice for quick service turnarounds.
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- You will be away for a period of time. If you plan to be away on a trip for any period of time during the season changeover, it’s a smart idea to change to your winter tires before you go away. When you return, the dealerships and tire shops may be overwhelmed with those who waited to put their winter tires on until poor weather hit. At times like that, it can take weeks to get an appointment and you could be left waiting.
When Should I NOT Put On My Winter Tires?
It’s not time to put your winter tires on yet when the temperature hasn’t consistently dropped below the 7 degree threshold. In many cases, we may experience a few chilly days, but then have a rebound back into fall weather, or even a final swing of summer before the temperature dips for good. When this happens, the rubber on your tires will degrade faster so we recommend timing the change just right. If you are unsure if the time is right, please don’t hesitate to contact us and one of our Service Advisors can provide a recommendation.
Do I Really Need Winter Tires?
Yes, we cannot state this enough. There are common misconceptions that All-Season tires are enough to get you through the winter, but we do not advise our customers to do this. While there may be circumstances of people managing through the winter on summer or All-Season tires, the absolute safety option, especially if you drive outside of the city, in the dark or during inclement weather, is always a properly rated winter tire.
Learn more about the differences between Winter, All-Season and All-Weather tires.
If you have any questions about changing, storing or purchasing winter tires, or all of their various benefits, please contact us or visit us at our Dartmouth Ford Dealership location for more information. One of our Advisors will be happy to help!